The 30 Best Camping Tents

When you’re away from home, away from your bed, away from the comforts of civilization, a surprisingly thin piece of fabric separates you from misery. The right camping tent can mean the difference between coming home with a head full of stories, and coming home early. Since buying a new tent is kind of like buying a house you’ve never stepped foot inside, we thought you might appreciate a little insight. We’ve rounded up the 30 best camping tents for just about any camping situation you might get yourself into.

The lone adventurer and the guy who brings his whole family will both find a tent somewhere on this list. Invite the whole office and pick one of the higher-capacity camping tents we found. Just heading out with a couple buddies, maybe a girlfriend, wife, kid? Two and three person tents are well-represented here.

With thoughtful design, indispensable features, and durable construction, these camping tents are the absolute best. They will protect you, protect your gear. These tents will keep the rain out without suffocating you. They’ll keep you warm when it’s cold and keep you ventilated when it’s not. Some of our picks are what you want for mild summer car camping. Other tents on our list will stand up to gale force winds and snow dumps on top of a mountain.

Pick the adventure you want to have, then peruse our choices for the tent that’ll live up to the task of outdoor camping. When it’s just a piece of fabric separating you from the wild, make sure it’s a good one.

Black Diamond Fitzroy Tent

Part of Black Diamond’s Bibler series, the Fitzroy is a severe weather friend. Known to resist winds of 80 mph, this tent also shrugs off deep show fall, thanks to its steep sides (which provide a good amount of extra headroom, too). It’s a single wall tent made from ToddTex, a breathable, waterproof variant of Gore-Tex (named for Todd Bibler, original maker of Bibler Tents) that manages to keep you warm and dry. The footprint and vestibule are separate purchases on this one, but it does feature pole-supported door awnings for extra protection. – Buy It

Sierra Designs Convert 3

A new offering from Sierra Designs — who design gear specifically for backpacking — the Convert 3 is all about convertibility. Don’t want a vestibule? No need to bring it. Heading to the desert? Leave the fly at home. The tent body is uncoated canopy fabric, which breathes but keeps out more dust than a mesh body. When you do want the extra space, the two-door Convert 3 offers two vestibules for gear storage and a place to change that’s safe from the elements. The storage system makes packing easier, with a cinch-corded side-entry bag. – Buy It

Marmot Halo 6P

With 100 square feet of floor space, and enough head room for a 6’8” person to stand tall, this is the aircraft hanger of tents. Marmot’s “Halo” poles circle the upper ridge for wider headspace and when you don’t need the fly, the huge mesh ceiling makes for an impressive stargazing opportunity. There’s a double door in front and a D-door around back for easier in/out. The full coverage fly creates a substantial front vestibule and it’s seam-taped and coated to keep the weather out, while the fly vents keep air flowing. – Buy It

Big Agnes Flying Diamond 6

They call it a “two-room condo” and we’ll have to agree. A bit like a four-man tent with an extra two-man annex added to the back, the Flying Diamond is an ideal base camp shelter. The poles and webbing are color coded for easier set up. It’s got two vestibules, a smaller one in back and a big one out front, that even pops out into a porch shade when you add your trekking poles. Inside, you get 16 mesh pockets, which means even if you’re at capacity, camper-wise, everyone still gets a couple pockets of their own. – Buy It

Mountain Hardwear Ghost Sky 3

For a three-person tent, this one is exceedingly lightweight, thanks to the Featherlite NSL poles from DAC, and extra light webbing and buckles. Just two poles hold up the Ghost Sky 3, which features an almost all mesh tent body and welded zipper flaps on the doors (at the long edges for easier entry). The rain fly makes for two smaller dry-entry vestibules outside each door. If what you’re going for is reduced pack weight, but room for a friend or two, this could be your new backpacking ally. – Buy It

Tentsile Stingray Tree Tent

Part hammock, part tent, the Stingray sleeps three on a floor that features a triple hammock configuration. The tent body is a micro-mesh to keep out the smallest of bugs (while offering a pretty nice view of the sky above) and entry is through a floor hatch or a large front door. Attach it four feet off the ground to trees, trucks, boulders or anything sturdy. The rainfly covers the tent and stakes to the ground which gives you a full 160 square foot covered area beneath your tent for your gear or a camp chair or two. – Buy It

REI Co-op Base Camp 6

A dome shaped shelter for the whole gang, this one from REI packs into an included backpack-style bag that holds the tent, fly, stakes and poles. There are two vestibules, one large, pole-supported in front and a smaller staked vestibule in back. Both doors are huge, almost the whole side of the tent, making it much easier to get six people in (and out) of the tent. All the mesh is at the roof and the tops of the doors for privacy and ventilation, and the fly has adjustable vents which you can access from the inside. – Buy It

The North Face Wawona 6

If you want your tent to come with a veranda, pick this one. The massive front vestibule has two doors and is tall enough to stand in. In the tent itself, the front and back door and two huge windows allow for air flow and views, while multiple mesh pockets, a dry line and hang loops keep everyone organized. The single wall construction is waterproof and, along with the color coded design, makes for easy pitching. The whole thing packs down into a duffel stuff sack making it easy to haul into camp and subsequently pack away. – Buy It

Nemo Equipment Moki 3P 4-Season Mountaineering Tent

Another single-wall option, the Moki is a mountaineering expedition tent designed specifically to handle cold weather — but its convertibility means winter isn’t the only season you’ll use it. In warmer weather, almost half of the tent can be opened to mesh by tying back the doors and opening the side panels. The included vestibule has a clear visibility window and can be attached to either of the two doors. Pick up their connector panel and you can link two Moki tents together to make a double tent with a gear-protecting breezeway. – Buy It

Eureka Midori Basecamp Tent

Occupancy: 4 • Seasons: 3 • Weight: 8.9 lbs • Peak Height: 60”

A lightweight way to sleep four campers. The mostly mesh tent body features two D-doors with a bathtub floor. The fly increases the airflow with hooded vents and pullouts while the front and rear vestibules include vertical struts to maximize gear storage space. Inside the tent, a gear loft and four storage pockets offer a good amount of places to stash your stuff. You can also add Eureka’s “camp comfort” tent floor that combines with their sleeping pads and sleeping bags to make for slip-free sleeping. – Buy It

Hilleberg Stalon XL

Occupancy: 14 • Seasons: 4 • Weight: 45.6 lbs • Peak Height: 92”

With room for 14 people, vestibules that are more like garages, and the ability to connect multiple Stalons together, this is more basecamp hotel than tent. Hilleberg Tentmakers, out of Sweden and more recently Washington state, intend this for use as a mobile medical station, a command center for search and rescue ops, or an expedition classroom. Capable of withstanding all seasons, you can also add an optional inner tent to the main section for added comfort. Despite its mammoth size, the whole thing packs into an included carrier backpack. – Buy It

MSR Hubba Tour 2

Two-wheeled adventurers, you’ve found your tent. MSR’s Hubba Tour tents were designed with an eye for cross-country bikepackers who need a lightweight option that’ll hold up night after night (which means it’ll most definitely work for weekend warriors too). The vestibule is better described as a gear shed, complete with hooks for hanging helmets and a protected floor. The fly boasts a waterproof coating that lasts three times longer than standard. The unified tent body and fly plus the exoskeleton design keep the inside of the tent dry even when setting up in a storm. – Buy It

HemiPlanet Cave Tent

Your tent will not be like anyone else’s (unless they have one of these too). Looking more like a Mars habitat than camp shelter, this dome-shaped tent features inflatable poles, or “air beams.” On your initial set up, secure the tent to the poles, leaving everything attached when you deflate. The second set up takes under a minute, as all you need to do is inflate. The door and five vents keep the air moving inside the tent, while a double wall on the air beams keep the air where it belongs. – Buy It

Big Agnes Battle Mountain 3

When you reach the summit of that snow-covered mountain, this is the tent you want to unfurl. Big Agnes designed their Battle Mountain series to meet the demands of the harshest alpine weather, adding things like a double door/vestibule, oversized stake out loops that you can anchor with your ice axe or ski poles, and storm flaps on the vestibule zippers. With a roomy hexagonal design, and overhead gear storage, three people can get a good night’s sleep without elbows to the face — or excess cold creeping in. – Buy It

Coleman Carlsbad Fast Pitch Dome Tent

Occupancy: 6 • Seasons: 3 • Weight: 22 lbs • Peak Height: 68”

When a night around the campfire gets a little too enjoyable, rising with the sun the next morning doesn’t always sound like fun. Coleman has a dark room, just for you. The tent blocks over 98% of sunlight, letting you sleep in (or sleep it off) and keeps things a bit cooler in the heat of the day. Window awnings let in air while keeping out the rain and the front porch gives you a screened in place to nature watch and enjoy camp. Set up on this one is a good deal faster, thanks to pre-attached, color-coded poles. – Buy It

Kelty Trail Ridge 4

Occupancy: 4 • Seasons: 3 • Weight: 9.8 lbs • Peak Height: 59”

One of the big reasons we camp is to see that starry night sky. The other reason is beer. Or other things, like nature and fire. But also beer. And the sky. This particular tent from Colorado’s Kelty delivers a stargazer’s dream with its roll-up stargazing fly. Offering two D-doors with vestibules, storage and night light pockets, a pole sleeve set up and detachable fly, the Trail Ridge comes with a price tag that’s pretty good for a fairly lightweight shelter that actually includes a footprint. – Buy It

Black Diamond Eldorado

With a bit more length (5 inches) and width (3 inches) than their popular I-Tent, the Eldorado from Black Diamond is another in their Bibler series. It’s built for four seasons, with a focus on that fourth season (snow, wind, cold). The extra room gives you the option to bring some of your more sacred gear inside with you, or you can opt to buy the add-on vestibule. The poles are internal, which takes a little getting used to for some but once set up, let nature bring what she will, this tent can take it. – Buy It

Kodiak Flex-Bow VX Tent

Occupancy: 6 • Seasons: 3+ • Weight: 68 lbs • Peak Height: 78”

Somewhere between a cabin and a tent lies Kodiak Canvas offerings. Their tent bodies are made from a 100% cotton duck canvas treated with a silicone dry finish that’s breathable, watertight and resists mold. Despite being the size of some people’s bedrooms, the Flex-Bow tents can be pitched by one person. The VX version comes with large triangle windows on either end that zip open to mesh for views and breeze and close up tight for weathering a storm. This isn’t light. It’s sturdy, durable, protection meant to last through many seasons. – Buy It

Tentsile Connect Tree Tent

If you’ve ever slept (or not slept) in a tent with a fist sized boulder just beneath your shoulder blade, you’ll appreciate the concept of a tree tent. Like their Stingray model, the Connect from Tentsile is part tent, part hammock that hooks up to any three anchor points — usually trees, but trucks and boulders will work too. The Connect sleeps two with four entry doors, two side pockets and a removable fly. On the ground beneath your set up, you get a 120 square foot covered area for gear, for lounging, or slinging another hammock. – Buy It

Hilleberg Soulo

The makers of the hugest tent on our list also makes one of the smallest. This is for he who goes it alone. The solo wanderer. Or the guy who doesn’t feel like sharing a tent. The gear storage vestibule is big, nearly a third of the tent as a whole. That and the superior snow load strength make this a solid choice for mountaineering. To protect your gear even more, you can pick up the optional footprint that goes under the tent and vestibule. The inner and outer tent are linked to be pitched together, but can be separated. – Buy It

Nemo Bungalow 4P

Occupancy: 4 • Seasons: 3 • Weight: 9.3 lbs • Peak Height: 60”

With a huge, hangar-like front door, and multiple storage pockets, the Bungalow is an affordable choice for family camping. One vestibule gives you a spot for gear out front while an additional door in back lets in extra air and extra campers. The drawstring stuff sack makes breakdown easier too. It’s another choice on our list from Nemo, a company out of New England who makes camping and backpacking gear with a focus on innovation and improving what’s already on the market. We’re fans of their Stargaze reclining camp chairs too. – Buy It

Nomad Dogon 3

Occupancy: 3+ • Seasons: 3 • Weight: 59.5 lbs • Peak Height: 77”

Dutch travel equipment company Nomad started making sleeping bags in the 1960s and have expanded to jackets, backpacks and, for our purposes today, tents. The Dogon is a two room tent, plus vestibule that offers sleeping for three in the back with a living area and clear-windowed vestibule out front. Technically, another person could bed down in the living area, which is why this is rated “3+” occupancy. The cotton/poly tent material is water repellent while offering good breathability. Think of this one as the tenting world’s answer to the tiny home. – Buy It

The North Face Bastion 4

If you and three friends are heading where the weather promises to be mean, unforgiving, and harsh, this might be the tent you want to bring. Built to withstand the worst moods of Mother Nature, the Bastion features a poled, dual entry front vestibule with nearly fifteen square feet of space and a clear window to let you check on storm status, without having to go out into it. Sixty-two square feet inside, ten interior pockets, lots of hanger loops and multiple venting options will keep you comfortable in your mini bomb shelter while the storm rages around you. – Buy It

CORE Equipment 12-Person Instant Cabin Tent

Occupancy: 12 • Seasons: 3 • Weight: 52.5 lbs • Peak Height: 80”

The “instant” in the name of this tent refers to a two minute set up. Impressive for a shelter that can sleep twelve. The poles are pre-attached to the tent body so after you take it out of the bag, you just need to unfold it and extend the poles. Inside, two included room dividers let you section off the tent into a three room cabin. The rainfly is removable in good weather to reveal mesh ceilings and large windows and you’d be hard pressed to beat the price for such a large tent. – Buy It

SlingFin Kahiltna Dome

Designed to be set up in all weather conditions, the Kahiltna Dome relies on a ten-pole “Web Truss” exoskeleton. Once set up, the fly can be thrown over the structure while you clip in the inner tent from the protected interior. With a removable floor, you can set this up mess-hall style as a central gathering place for a group camp. And make it a big group. With 200+ square feet of floor area, 3 windows and lots of vents, this will quickly become the hub at the center of camp — in any weather. – $98

The 5 Best Budget Camping Tents

For those looking for a good back-up tent; for the camping-curious who aren’t quite ready to invest the big bucks; or for those who have better things to spend their dollars on (such as food and rent), this section is for you. We’ve found a selection of solid, dependable tents that do the job but still leave you with enough green to stock up on beef jerky and cans of beans before you head out to the wild.

The North Face Stormbreak 2

Here’s a two person tent that gives each camper access to their own vestibule storage space. With doors on either side, each opening to 9.8 square feet of gear-protecting shelter, there will be far less climb and scramble as you settle in for the night. The Stormbreak series of tents from North Face are the company’s most affordable line of tents, but that doesn’t mean cheaply made. Dependable and sturdy, the Stormbreak 2 is a well-designed, reasonably lightweight choice, good for those just starting out or looking for a dependable back up tent. – $159

Marmot Catalyst 2P

Marmot placed the pole clips on the Catalyst tent to maximize internal space, making for a roomy dual sleeper. Two doors give you easy in/out while the full-coverage fly offers two vestibules for gear protection. When it’s time to pitch, the color coded clips, poles and fly make set up fairly foolproof. All of this from a company who have been making respectable tents for over 40 years. The Catalyst goes for a pretty nice price for a car camper or short trip backpacking, especially when you consider it actually includes a footprint. – $86

REI Camp Dome 2 Tent

The profile of the Camp Dome 2 is probably what most people picture when they hear the word “tent.” With a rainfly that provides an awning over the door, this is an excellent choice for fair weather camping that hits under the $100 mark. While the fly will do an excellent job of keeping out an occasional summer storm, it might not be your choice for an expedition, due to the lack of gear coverage. Still, easy to pitch, with a fair amount of room and a respectable weight, REI’s budget option holds its own. – $120

Kelty Salida 2

Light enough and with a just small enough pack size, this could be considered for inclusion in a backpacker’s pack. The Salida offers a full coverage fly with one door and one vestibule providing ten square feet for gear. Internal storage pockets and gearloft loops help you keep it all organized during your time in camp, while the two pole, color coded clip and fly attachment keep you organized during set up and take down. It’s a low-cost entry for those thinking about backpacking, but aren’t ready to shell out a full bucket of money. – Buy It

Mombasa Bug Top Pro 2 Tent

Occupancy: 2 • Seasons: 2 • Weight: 2.8 lbs • Peak Height: 40”

Summer camping with no chance of rain might be the ideal time to camp for some. If it weren’t for the bugs, you could roll out your sleeping pad and close your eyes. But, for all but the driest, most barren places, summer camping means bugs. Here’s a very light, quite affordable option for those who want to get as close to camping out in the open as possible. With an easy pitch, two pole design and fine mesh screen, this tent makes sure the bugs stay out but 100% of the view gets in. – Buy It

Amy Skorheim is a writer living in New Mexico. She spends her time wisely—reading and writing about tech and gear or doing stuff outside. You can find her (albeit not easily) hiking or camping somewhere in the wild.